Big Hit Entertainment, the record label for BTS, is taking legal action in Korea against “malicious” comments made about the K-Pop band.
In a statement to Billboard, Big Hit say they filed complaints of defamation and criminal insult at a Seoul police station against internet users who uploaded BTS-related posts “that exceed the reasonable and accepted boundaries of expression and personal commentary”.
They did not go into detail about the nature of the comments but said they used an email hotline and internal monitoring initiatives to track down a collection of posts from early 2019 that are now being used as evidence.
“We have responded with zero tolerance against insults and defamation against our artists”, they said.
“We emphasise that there is, and will be, no leniency or settlement with the perpetrators of these acts”.
They say Seoul police are already investigating their complaints.
Unlike in the UK, where truth is a defence against defamation charges, South Korean law allows for someone to be punished if they make a factually accurate statement that brings another person into disrepute.
This isn’t the first time Big Hit has taken legal action to defend BTS.
Earlier this summer they asked for court authorisation to seize and destroy bootleg merchandise being sold outside the band’s concert venues, and previously sued over claims of “sajaegi” – bulk-buying albums to inflate BTS’s chart position.
BTS are currently taking an “extended period of rest and relaxation” to “rest and recharge in their own personal ways”.
They won the K-Pop award at this year’s MTV VMAs for their song “Boy With Luv”, along with Best Group.
#Peace.Love.BTS
